[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 164 (Thursday, August 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42686-42687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18199]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0026073; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Florida Department of State, 
Tallahassee, FL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Florida Department of State has completed an inventory of 
human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian 
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of 
these human remains should submit a written request to the Florida 
Department of State. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer 
of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian 
Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may 
proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the 
Florida Department of State at the address in this notice by September 
24, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Kathryn Miyar, Florida Department of State, Mission San Luis 
Collections, 2100 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304, 
telephone (850) 245-6301, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains under 
the control of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL. The 
human remains were removed from an unknown location.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The 
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the remains was made by the Florida 
Department of State professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed 
as Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; 
Kialegee Tribal Town; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Poarch Band of 
Creeks (previously listed as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of 
Alabama); Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously listed as the Seminole 
Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa 
Reservations)); The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The Seminole Nation of 
Oklahoma; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town. Two non-federally recognized 
Indian groups, the Florida Tribe of Eastern Creek Indians and the 
Original Miccosukee Simanolee Nation of Aboriginal People were also 
consulted.

History and Description of the Remains

    A braided lock of hair belonging to Osceola, an advisor to the 
principal chief of the Seminole and leader of Seminole resistance 
during the Second Seminole War (89M.041.004), in the collection of the 
Florida Department of State, was donated by one of the descendants of 
Dr. Frederick Weedon. Weedon, who was a medical doctor under contract 
to the Army, treated Osceola during his captivity at Ft. Marion and 
later at Ft. Moultrie (1837-1838). Before he died, Osceola had given a 
few personal effects to Dr. Weedon, but the braided lock of hair is 
presumed to have been taken after death. Osceola's postcranial remains 
were buried at Ft. Moultrie in 1838; however, his head was retained by 
Dr. Weedon. It is believed that, later, the head was housed at the 
Surgical and Pathological Museum in New York City, and was lost in the 
fire that destroyed the museum in 1866.
    A lock of Osceola's hair remained with the Weedon family from 1838 
until its donation to the Florida Department of State in 1989. Taking a 
lock of a descendant's hair for a keepsake was a popular western custom 
in the 1800s. The hair is in a braided plait that is 5\3/4\'' long, and 
consists of approximately seven strands of hair. Presumably, it had 
been plaited by a Weedon family member sometime after its acquisition.

Determinations Made by the Florida Department of State

    Officials of the Florida Department of State have determined that:

[[Page 42687]]

     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas 
(previously listed as Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal 
Town; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Poarch Band of Creeks (previously 
listed as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama); Seminole Tribe 
of Florida (previously listed as the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, 
Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations)); The Muscogee 
(Creek) Nation; The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; and Thlopthlocco 
Tribal Town (hereafter, ``The Tribes'').

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Kathryn 
Miyar, Florida Department of State, Mission San Luis Collections, 2100 
West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304, telephone (850) 245-6301, 
email [email protected], by September 24, 2018. After 
that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains to The Tribes may proceed.
    The Florida Department of State is responsible for notifying The 
Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 17, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-18199 Filed 8-22-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P